Examples of known molding systems are (amongst others): (i) the HYPET (TRADEMARK) Molding System, (ii) the QUADLOC (TRADEMARK) Molding System, (iii) the HYLECTRIC (TRADEMARK) Molding System, and (iv) the HYMET (TRADEMARK) Molding System, all manufactured by Husky Injection Molding Systems (Head Office Location: Canada).
An example of a manufacturer of carbon nanotubes (also referred to as “CNT”) or CNT-composite materials is: Bioneer Corporation, located in Korea (telephone in Korea +82-42-930-8777 or in the U.S.A. 1-877-264-4300). An example of an academic facility that studies nanotechnology is the Birck Nanotechnology Center of Purdue University, located in U.S.A. (telephone 765-494-7053). Examples of research organizations involved in the research of nanotechnology are: (i) National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN), (ii) Nano Science and Technology Institute (NSTI) located in U.S.A. (telephone 508-357-2925), and (iii) Polytech & Net GmbH located in Germany (telephone: +49 (0)6196-8845027). Organizations providing news and information about nanotechnology may be found at the following web sites: (i) www.azonano.com, (ii) www.nanotech-now.com, (iii) www.nanowerk.com and (iv) www.nanohub.org.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,954 (Inventor: MORTAZAVI et al.: Publication Date: Dec. 26, 2000) discloses an injection nozzle apparatus that comprises inner and outer body portions. The inner body portion includes a melt channel and the outer body is made of a pressure resistant material. The ratio between the inner diameter of the outer body portion and the outer diameter of the inner body portion is selected so that a pre-load or a load is generated when assembling the outer body over the inner body. Preferably the assemble of the two bodies is removably fastened to an injection nozzle body. Preferably the inner body comprises a material with wear resistant characteristics to withstand abrasive or corrosive molten materials. The apparatus of the present invention is particularly useful in molding machines and hot runner nozzles for high pressure molding of various materials at normal or elevated injection temperatures.
United States Patent Application Number 2003/0145973 (Inventor: GELLERT et al.: Publication Date: Aug. 7, 2003) discloses improved heated manifolds, heaters and nozzles for injection molding, having a high strength metal skeleton infiltrated with a second phase metal having higher thermal conductivity. Also disclosed is method of forming a manifold, heater or nozzle preform and infiltrating the preform with a highly thermally conductive material. The invention also provides a method of simultaneously infiltrating and brazing injection molding components of similar or dissimilar materials together.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,868 (Inventor: GUENTHER et al.: Publication Date: Nov. 14, 2006) discloses an injection molding nozzle with a tip portion in the gate area of the mold that has a wear-resistant diamond-type coating. The surface of the tip melt channel that delivers melt to the gate area may also comprise a diamond-type coating. Nozzle seal surfaces in the gate area may also comprise a diamond-type coating. The enhanced harness, smoothness and thermal conductivity of these coated surfaces results in higher quality molded parts, and easier to clean molding equipment that has a longer service life.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,217,311 (Inventor: HONG et al.; Published: May 15, 2007) discloses manufacture of a carbon nanotube reinforced metal nano composite powder for use as grinding agent. The manufacture involves performing ultrasonication of a solution having a nanotube and a metal salt compound, calcining the solution, and reducing the composite powder.
United States Patent Application Number 2006/0032243 (Inventor: GA-LANE CHEN; Published: Feb. 16, 2006) discloses an injection molding device includes an injection unit (10), a lock unit, and a control unit. The injection unit includes a mold (11, 11′) and a cooling system. The cooling system includes one or more pipeways (18, 18′) in the mold, and a coolant received in the pipeways. The coolant is a superfluid with carbon nanotubes suspended therein. A coefficient of viscosity of the superfluid is virtually zero, therefore friction between the superfluid and the nanotubes is extremely small. This enables the nanotubes in the superfluid in the pipeways to undergo more turbulent flow, so that the nanotubes can conduct more heat from the mold. In addition, the nanotubes themselves have high thermal conductivity. Accordingly, the thermal conductivity of the cooling system is enhanced. Thus, the molten material injected into the mold can be cooled and solidified fast. This provides the injection molding device with a high molding efficiency.
United States Patent Application Number 2008/0099176 (Inventor: CZERWINSKI; Publication Date: May 1, 2001) discloses a molding material handling component for a metal molding system that has a component body made from an alloy that is made contactable against molten metallic molding material including molten alloy of magnesium.
United States Patent Application Number 20080206391 (Inventor: BOUTI et al.; Publication Date: Aug. 28, 2008) discloses a nozzle assembly for an injection molding assembly has a nozzle housing having a melt channel extending therethrough, a nozzle tip, and a retainer that retains the nozzle tip against the nozzle housing. The nozzle tip is formed of a precipitation hardened, high thermal conductivity material and a precipitation hardened, high strength material, which are integrally joined together to form the body. The thermal conductivity of the high thermal conductivity material is greater than the thermal conductivity of the high strength material, and the strength of the high strength material is greater than the strength of the high thermal conductivity material. The high thermal conductivity material and the high strength material can be precipitation hardened together under the same precipitation hardening conditions to achieve increases in the value of at least one strength aspect of the high thermal conductivity material and the value of at least one strength aspect of the high strength material.
The current state of the art provides known hot-runners that are in many cases performance limited by material properties (such as, strength and thermal conductivity and/or wear resistance) associated with hot-runner components that include standard metal alloys, such as: PH13-8 (stainless-steel alloy), BeCu (beryllium copper alloy), 4140 (steel alloy), Aermet 100 (carbon bearing high strength alloy), H13 (tool and die steel alloy), etc.